Chicken Mushroom Barley Soup

Serves 4-6

2 chicken breast halves, salt, pepper, & tarragon

¼ - ½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms & 1 ½ cups boiling water

3-5 ounce variety package fresh mixed mushrooms, chopped

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon EVOO

1 large onion, chopped

3 ribs celery, chopped

2-3 carrots, chopped

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

2/3 cup barley

4 cups homemade chicken broth or 2 cans Swanson Reduced Sodium Chicken broth

Fresh pepper

¼ teaspoon lemon pepper- no salt type

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme, or 2 sprigs fresh thyme

Dash red pepper flakes

¼ cup dry sherry

Clean and pat dry chicken breasts; rub breasts with a small amount of EVOO, coarse salt, ¼ teaspoon dried tarragon and freshly ground pepper.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.  Cool slightly and chop.

Place dried mushrooms in boiling water and let sit.  Do not discard broth!

In large pot melt butter and EVOO together and then add onion, celery, and carrots; sauté for 5 minutes or until almost clear.  Add garlic and fresh mushrooms sautéing for 2 minutes; then remove dried mushrooms from the broth, chop them and add them to the pot and cook for 2 minutes more.  Now you can continue this in the pot or you can switch to a slow cooker at this point.  Now stir in barley, chicken broth, strained mushroom broth, seasonings, and chicken.  Simmer on low heat for 2-4 hours.  One hour before serving add the sherry.  If soup gets to thick just add more chicken broth.